WY Game and Fish Commission Approves Protections for Big Game Migrations @WWFHomePlace

Last week the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission approved new definitions developed by stakeholders and the Game and Fish Department designed to protect big game migration corridors. The Commission’s vote on Thursday came after more than a year of meetings and new science-based conservation strategies with the aim to mitigate impacts of development and other causes that constrain the animals’ movements.

Wyoming Wildlife Federation (WWF) Field Director Joy Bannon provided testimony in support of the new measures. “Sportsmen support multiple-use management, energy development, grazing, and other uses of our western landscapes, but we believe that all uses must be balanced with wildlife habitat needs,” says Bannon. “Meetings between sportsmen, wildlife managers, and other stakeholders enabled us to collaboratively formulate a reasonable strategy for protecting our migrating elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn.”

The Commission passed the definitions, which will now be included in the department’s mitigation policy. Migration bottlenecks and ungulate stopover areas will be listed as “vital” under the Commission’s mitigation policy. New data has introduced the need to define migratory bottleneck – where animal movement becomes constrained, including a highway or fence – and stopover areas where animals feed and rest during migration. These new policy definitions are important as the Game and Fish Department coordinates with federal land management agencies and state agencies on common goals and decisions regarding energy development, mining, and recreational activities. These definitions represent a victory for Wyoming’s big game animals; important protections as they migrate to and from their seasonal habitats.